subordinate encircle the capital Today, the Dutch said, the Taliban said nothing could be observed from a military point of view, but that it was “absolute chaos” in the city. “I was in the office this morning. Everyone there was very nervous, because the Taliban was clearly coming. When it was rumored that they were already in the city, chaos broke out. Traffic was jammed and there were long queues in front of banks and stores.”

Langrak has helped women become economically independent in recent years. The organization I worked for also taught women and men women’s rights and human rights. “From an Islamic perspective,” she adds.

For many Afghan women, the immediate future looks bleak, she says, citing reports of women, for example, who are no longer allowed to leave the house alone. “I have spoken to many women who have shed tears.” Several of her Afghan acquaintances also asked her for a letter of recommendation to try to obtain a visa to leave the country. Everyone on her team, which consists mainly of Afghan women, “are very concerned about what the future will hold,” Langrac said. In several provinces, the Taliban said the work of NGOs could continue, but they wanted to limit the content. It doesn’t look good on women.”